Hey Zac, in case you haven't figured it out yet, browntail here is one of those negative nancies that you were warned about. We're not really sure who he is or where he comes from or who he flies for, but lets just say there are some high quality add-ons for Flight Simulator that make you feel like a real airline pilot.
As for the negativity, keep in mind that these types of online forums sever as a place for angry people to vent. There are alot of high quality guys giving great insight and advice here, but there are also alot who are here to vent for whatever reason their comapny is ****ing them off at that moment. Not to say that the venting is unjustified or falsely based, but it's still venting.
If you fly as an airline passenger alot (I usually do at least once a year), take every opportunity to talk with line pilots. On every flight I travel on I always stop and talk to the crew for a few minutes, gaining whatever insight I can.
And finally, yes go the local flight school route. I've realized it doesn't matter how you got your ratings. Just work on becoming a safe private pilot, instrument pilot, and commercial pilot. It's instructing where you actually learn to fly and become a real professional pilot. I'm actually looking forward to being a CFI some day, and plan to do it my whole life (if possible) with Civil Air Patrol.